Nigeria Approves 2 NIGCOMSAT Satellites to Expand Internet Access to 20 Million Underserved People
Updated
Updated · Guardian Nigeria · Aug 23
Nigeria Approves 2 NIGCOMSAT Satellites to Expand Internet Access to 20 Million Underserved People
3 articles · Updated · Guardian Nigeria · Aug 23
Summary
Federal Executive Council cleared the acquisition and deployment of NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B, moving Nigeria’s satellite expansion into implementation under NIGCOMSAT and the communications ministry.
The two satellites are meant to reach underserved and hard-to-access areas where fibre networks or telecom towers are too difficult or costly to deploy, widening broadband and other digital services.
NIGCOMSAT will now begin formal talks with technology partners, finalize contracts and prepare technical plans for manufacturing, launch and deployment; Thales Alenia Space and Israel Aerospace Industries will deliver the satellites.
Bosun Tijani recently said Nigeria also plans about 3,700 telecom towers and satellite links to extend service to more than 20 million people without telecom access, alongside 90,000 kilometres of fibre under Project BRIDGE.
Beyond connectivity, the project is expected to bolster national communications resilience, cut reliance on foreign satellite capacity and support jobs and skills in Nigeria’s domestic satellite and digital technology ecosystem.